***
Prior to dinner, the men were made to sit in the living room.
Her father was engrossed in the evening news playing on the television, while Idrak was made to sit face-to-face with Haider.
They sat across from one another, each wearing a vastly different expression.
Haider appeared timid and tense.
On the other hand, a scowl remained etched upon Idraak's face, his arms folded firmly across his chest.
Had anyone else witnessed the scene before them, they would have probably mistaken Haider for a criminal pleading his innocence.
Meanwhile, the mother and daughter busied themselves in the kitchen, blissfully unaware of the situation unfolding in the living room.
With his mother's watchful eyes no longer keeping him in check, Idraak was left to his own devices.
His mouth was no longer sealed.
So, he parted his lips and spoke in a cold voice.
"So, I heard the two of you were out before coming here?"
Haider jerked ever so slightly before lowering his head once more.
Both hands clasped tightly upon his knees, his nervousness evident in the rigid way he sat.
"Yes..." he barely managed to reply. "We were at the aquarium."
Idrak's brows lifted in mild surprise, a faint smirk reappearing at the corner of his thin lips.
"Hm? The aquarium... not a bad choice."
He was testing Haider.
Idrak was like a pebble.
Haider was the still, silent ocean.
No matter how calm its waters appeared, the moment the pebble struck its surface, ripples were bound to form.
The only question was...
How deep would the pebble sink? And just how great of a ripple would Idraak manage to create?
Idrak shot him a glare before deciding to test the waters once more.
"Have you bought my sister anything from there?"
"Yes!" Haider answered immediately, finally lifting his eyes to meet the fierce glower fixed upon him.
"I... bought her a whale shark plushie. She doesn't know about it yet."
"Oh?"
Idrak glanced to his side, only to find his father letting out a quiet scoff before breaking into laughter.
It seemed the Muazzin men approved of Haider's choice.
Idrak tilted his head before speaking in a sly tone.
"A plushie is a good choice... but you see, I know my sister better than anyone."
He leaned forward ever so slightly.
"And guess what? She has a very particular taste when it comes to plushies."
Haider swallowed anxiously before replying with the utmost respect.
"Please... grace me with your knowledge."
Without warning, both Muazzin men burst into laughter, nearly losing their breath midway.
Haider could only stare at them in bewilderment, blinking twice.
The men before him were just as much of a mystery as the woman he had married.
The Muazzin family itself was held and perceived as one of the most honoured and distinguished households, their name carrying both reverence and authority wherever it was spoken.
Yet, from Haider's perspective, they were unexpectedly... goofy.
Odd.
Wonderfully eccentric.
For all the prestige that surrounded their name, they carried themselves like any other ordinary family.
Although Haider had his own share of familial lineage and heritage, his family had never been burdened by a past stained with crime or disgrace.
Instead, they carried fragments of history worthy of preservation.
He had not descended from kings nor inherited royal blood.
Yet, somewhere within the roots of his family lay the faint echoes of a forgotten past.
It was a history withered by time.
One that served little purpose dwelling upon.
And should the day ever come when his name was called upon to shoulder an unwavering responsibility tied to that legacy...
He would gladly decline it.
For the sake of those he loved.
And for the people he wished to protect.
"Dinner is here!"
Ariya's mother announced as she carried a large bowl of food into the dining room, instantly drawing the men's attention.
***
I hugged Mother and quietly bid my goodbyes while my brother protested against me leaving so soon.
"Sorry, but I have university tomorrow, and he has work."
My brother let out a deep sigh, his brows coming together in annoyance.
"You visit after so long, and you won't even stay a little longer?"
An awkward giggle escaped my lips.
Pouting slightly, I waved from inside the car.
"Assalamualaikum!"
The house gradually blurred into the distance as Haider drove farther away.
For the first time since we had arrived, he looked completely at ease.
Relieved.
Refreshed.
It almost seemed as though being at my parents' house had taken a tremendous toll on him.
Curiosity sparked in my brain and I asked while studying him
"Why... were you so timid around my brother? Did he do something to you?"
Haider gave himself a long pause, he was pondering up his reply and focused his gaze on the road.
He appeared to be carefully weighing his answer, his attention never leaving the road ahead.
Without sparing me a glance, he finally spoke in an astonishingly calm voice.
"He was the one most opposed to our marriage."
Huh?
Was that the reason?
A whirlwind of confusion swept through me, while countless thoughts pricked at the corners of my mind.
My thoughts began piecing everything together, every cell in me working tirelessly to comprehend and grasp the weight of his words.